: The Nine Craftsmen Terrace of Xuanyuan

Thousand Peaks Forest.

Dragon King Mountain.

To resist the punitive expedition from the Two Notes Kingdom, various forces of the Thousand Peaks Forest gathered around the Ginseng Whisker Dragon King and set up a grand hall on Dragon King Mountain.

Inside the hall, a small number of cultivators, demonic cultivators, barbarian tribes, and deities sat around a large sand table shaped like a round table.

Only one cultivator in a blue robe stood by the table.

It was Lu Hongtu.

Lu Hongtu's expression was cold, his gaze sharp as a blade.

He condensed his spiritual power and lightly tapped the sand table, which displayed a three-dimensional map of the Thousand Peaks Forest.

Several streams of spiritual power coalesced, forming four routes.

Some routes were longer, others shorter.

"Everyone," Lu Hongtu began, his voice low. "Since our surprise attack on the vanguard army, we have temporarily trapped them. Du Tiechuan was injured by Lord Shengxu but reacted swiftly, immediately dispatching four armies for a counterattack."

"This is the latest military report."

Lu Hongtu's finger twitched slightly, and the longest spiritual route among them thickened and became more prominent.

He promptly explained, "The Golden Halberd Army led by Sun Gan has already broken through three passes, advancing swiftly and unstoppably. It's unclear why Du Tiechuan deployed this imperial guard."

"This army poses the greatest threat."

"They will soon enter the territory of Bikong Mountain."

"Bikong Mountain has no barbarian inhabitants, but its peak houses the Bikong Pond. This pond is rich in Void Crystals and Green Lake Stones, and void creatures often appear there."

"Should we surrender this precious resource? If not, Bikong Mountain has no natural defenses. We would need to station a strong army there to possibly resist the Golden Halberd Army."

After a pause, Lu Hongtu continued to describe the situations of the other three armies.

"The Red Flower Camp has attacked Lengyue Mountain and is currently resting."

"The Barbarian Demon Camp besieged Leiguang Mountain but was repelled by the defenders and has stationed three miles back."

"As for the Three Generals Camp, they should be at Tougu Mountain, engaged in fierce combat with the Tougu Demon God."

As soon as Lu Hongtu finished speaking, a messenger arrived with a report.

Hearing the urgent military news, Lu Hongtu's expression changed slightly. He scanned the room and said gravely, "Everyone, the situation has changed."

"News just came in—the Three Generals Camp has already conquered Tougu Mountain."

At these words, the cultivators in the hall gasped softly.

"What? The Tougu Demon God was defeated?"

"Did He retreat early to protect His followers?"

"That shouldn't be. He also signed the Dragon King's divine contract and volunteered to hold his position."

"Hahaha, when the Tougu Demon God arrives at Dragon King Mountain, I'll definitely mock Him thoroughly!"

"Where is He now?"

Lu Hongtu's Adam's apple bobbed, but he restrained himself from revealing that the Tougu Demon God had defected to the enemy mid-battle.

Although the Tougu Demon God was only at the Golden Core level, His combat prowess was exceptional. Once He unleashed His domain, He could hold off Nascent Soul-level opponents for a while.

This was common knowledge in the Thousand Peaks Forest.

Thus, everyone (including Lu Hongtu) had confidence in the Tougu Demon God's position. Who would have thought He would be defeated so quickly and even defect!

Lu Hongtu estimated that if he leaked this military intelligence, it would inevitably shake the morale of the Thousand Peaks Forest, breeding widespread panic.

"Such a棘手 matter is better left for the Ginseng Whisker Dragon King to handle."

Lu Hongtu decided to focus entirely on his role as military strategist.

"Wait!"

His heart skipped a beat as he suddenly realized the danger.

"Although the Tougu Demon God is only Golden Core, as a deity, He can manifest a domain."

"His domain is quite unique, which is why we invited Him to participate in the earlier plan to ambush the Two Notes Kingdom's supply convoy."

"Now that He has defected, could this intelligence be exposed?"

Lu Hongtu immediately began calculating with his fingers.

After considering the timing, cold sweat broke out on his forehead. "It's a bit dangerous."

"If the intelligence has already been leaked and the enemy sends the fastest message, they should be able to warn in advance."

"We must have them act immediately!"

Thinking this, Lu Hongtu immediately sent a mental command through his divine sense.

The hall was crowded with ears; only a few knew of this ambush plan. Until the matter was settled, it had to be kept strictly confidential.

Mulun Town.

Commander's Residence.

Du Tiechuan and Shuang Ling were also secretly discussing important military matters.

Du Tiechuan: "Ahem, Your Highness, you've only produced six thousand Tread-Mountain Wheels, falling short of the total target of eighteen thousand by a full twelve thousand."

"Currently, our vanguard is trapped. To resolve this crisis, your Tread-Mountain Wheels are crucial!"

Shuang Ling nodded: "The Thousand Peaks Forest trapped our vanguard to force our main force to reinforce. We absolutely cannot fight on a battlefield set by the enemy; that would be like walking right into a trap."

"Rest assured, Commander Du."

"The subsequent mechanical components and materials are already with the nearest supply convoy."

"I even spent most of my resources to purchase several mechanical platforms from another country. Using these to produce Tread-Mountain Wheels is thirty times faster than by myself!"

Du Tiechuan nodded slightly.

Shuang Ling: "My mechanical wheels aren't the issue. Rather, Commander Du, how is your recovery from your injury?"

"If our main force attacks Dragon King Mountain, large-scale fierce battles are inevitable."

"At that time, we will likely face the Ginseng Whisker Dragon King within his domain and Lord Shengxu, who can challenge Deity Transformation-level opponents."

Du Tiechuan sighed: "Shengxu truly lives up to being a Lord-level figure; his Void Devouring Scripture is unparalleled. I wasn't injured by him but by my own power."

"However, this also makes treatment more certain."

"Don't worry, by the time of the major battle, my injury will surely be healed. Then, my true form will also come to reinforce. We might even be able to summon a Deity Transformation-level National Beast."

Shuang Ling breathed a sigh of relief: "That would be excellent!"

Thiefless Valley.

"This is the place," Sun Lingtong said while controlling the Thousand-Mile Wandering Dragon and consulting the map.

He had far more experience操控 the Thousand-Mile Wandering Dragon than Ning Zhuo, so his skills were more refined.

The Thousand-Mile Wandering Dragon stealthily approached the valley but didn't dare get too close to avoid alerting the enemy.

Before long, they heard the sounds of carts and horses moving.

Soon, Sun and Ning saw a supply convoy moving in a long, winding line.

Scout riders dispersed, conducting thorough reconnaissance.

Many scouts returned from Thiefless Valley, reporting to the Two Notes Kingdom's Nascent Soul cultivator in charge that no enemy traces were found.

The Nascent Soul cultivator also personally used his methods to detect several times, confirming no suspicious activity, then waved his hand and led the army into Thiefless Valley.

Thiefless Valley had a historical anecdote related to the famous virtuous minister Gu Wenjing.

Gu Wenjing came from a prominent family but was talented, broad-minded, understood the hardships of the people, and was extremely compassionate.

He was never arrogant, always prioritizing the safety and well-being of the common folk. At thirty, he was appointed as the prefect of this region.

At that time, this area was plagued by barren mountains and evil waters, unruly people, and endless banditry that couldn't be eradicated.

Upon taking office, Gu Wenjing didn't follow his predecessors by preparing armies to suppress the bandits.

Instead, he swiftly rectified all trades within the prefecture, improved public morals, built water conservancy projects, constructed roads, and vigorously developed agriculture and commerce.

He first used various policies to pacify the people and alleviate their grievances.

Then, through tax reductions and exemption from numerous corvée duties.

Subsequently, he gathered manpower and resources to repair dilapidated fields, dams, waterwheels, etc., improved farming techniques, and promoted their widespread use.

Day after day, year after year, Gu Wenjing's reputation among the people grew until it reached its peak.

The lives of the populace gradually became prosperous, and public sentiment stabilized.

Only in the last three months of his term did Gu Wenjing formally "act" against the bandits in the valley.

He didn't deploy any troops but merely posted a "Pardon Proclamation" at the city gates, stating that bandits who surrendered within three months would be pardoned for all but the most serious crimes!

Moreover, the government distributed fertile land to the bandits as means for livelihood, enough for an ordinary cultivator's family to live stably.

Once this policy was announced, bandits flocked to surrender.

The persistent bandit problem that had plagued the kingdom for years was thus resolved by Gu Wenjing.

When Gu Wenjing was transferred, the valley where the bandits had gathered was renamed by the people. To commemorate his great achievement, it was renamed Thiefless Valley.

However, today's Thiefless Valley was潜伏 with many "thieves."

"Brother Wu Hen, thanks to your methods, otherwise we would have been discovered," Diao Ye, the Rotting Poison General of the Hundred Poisons Tribe, said with relief.

Wu Hen, clad in a black robe with disheveled long hair, replied calmly, "Let's act. For some reason, I feel a bit uneasy."

Boom! Boom! Boom!

The next moment, as the supply convoy entered the valley, the Thousand Peaks Forest group launched a fierce attack.

Awooo!

Wolf packs poured down like a tide.

It was Gu Ya of the Cangyue Tribe commanding the wolves to attack.

Caught off guard, the supply convoy immediately fell into chaos, suffering many casualties.

The escorting Nascent Soul cultivator was enraged. Holding a long sword, he deployed military tactics to first strengthen defense, then prepared to change formation.

Among the ambushing cultivators, Cang Teng Wang, clad in ancient vine armor, took out a large black bow and continuously shot out Cang Vines.

Soldiers at key positions in the formation suddenly sprouted vines from their bodies, dying on the spot.

The formation change was thus hindered, slowing down several times over.

The Nascent Soul cultivator was furious. He first used the tactic "Speed is Key in War," then activated his general's seal, urging the military tactics within to enhance the entire army's protection.

Then, he took out a command token, threw it while continuously issuing orders.

Invisible military force immediately seized various cultivators, even dragging them if necessary, to key positions to assist in the formation change.

The Thousand Peaks Forest ambushers were well-prepared. One Nascent Soul cultivator reached into a bag, grabbed a handful of green beans, and scattered them.

The next moment, the green beans transformed into turbaned strongmen, descending from the sky and charging into the Two Notes Kingdom's army.

It became impossible for the soldiers to change formation.

These turbaned strongmen were as solid as green rock, with strong defenses. Unless they were dealt with, the Two Notes Kingdom's supply convoy basically couldn't change formation smoothly.

The escorting cultivator had no choice but to change commands, deploying elites to deal with these massive turbaned strongmen one by one.

The blind barbarian cultivator Di Lu, the eccentric Wu Hen, and the Rotting Poison General Diao Ye, who threw long spears, charged into the battle formation, surrounding and attacking the escorting Nascent Soul general.

The Nascent Soul general blocked left and right, gradually falling into a disadvantage.

He continuously drew military force to bolster himself against the围攻. But this meant most military force was倾注 on him, reducing benefits to the soldiers, leading to many casualties among the troops in the fierce battle.

Sun Lingtong stared intently at the battlefield: "No way? Didn't the Two Notes Kingdom learn their lesson after the last ambush?"

As soon as he spoke, two Nascent Soul cultivators descended from the sky.

"Thieves of the Thousand Peaks Forest, we, Fu Yunzi (Shan Yuezi), have been waiting for you!"

The two spoke in unison, coordinating seamlessly.

One used cloud-type spells, summoning pure white cloud ropes to bind large numbers of turbaned strongmen, turning them into stationary targets.

The other held a small mountain-shaped magical treasure, continuously releasing majestic mountain seals to repel various barbarian cultivators.

Ning Zhuo's eyes flickered: "These two are famous rogue cultivators of the Two Notes Kingdom, highly outstanding even among Nascent Soul level. I didn't expect the military to recruit them this time."

Having learned from their previous mistake in the ambush, the Two Notes Kingdom naturally ensured后勤 stability by secretly hiring the pair of friends Fu Yunzi and Shan Yuezi at a high price.

Their reputation was well-deserved.

These two were indeed formidable. Especially since they could coordinate with each other—one mobile, one still; one soft, one hard—even combining attacks to unleash great power.

The Thousand Peaks Forest had no army, only individual cultivators with high cultivation and combat strength.

The Two Notes Kingdom's supply convoy was severely disrupted, struggling even to change formation.

Under these circumstances, individual cultivators became the main decisive force on the battlefield.

What a fierce battle between dragons and tigers.

It darkened heaven and earth, eclipsed sun and moon, with killing cries shaking the sky and blood flowing enough to float shields.

Both sides fought until the world turned dark, gradually exhausting themselves. The ordinary soldiers suffered, caught in the crossfire of various clashes, dying in countless numbers.

"The time is about right, let's move!" Sun and Ning waited patiently, and seeing the时机成熟, they acted decisively.

Earth Travel Technique.

The next moment, a large, round stone ball suddenly emerged from underground, arriving before the mechanical carts.

Thievery Art—Solid Hand.

The military supplies inside the mechanical compartments were swiftly swallowed by the stone ball.

"Stone Elder?!" Both交战 sides were startled.

"Great! Stone Elder is reinforcing us! We're sure to win this battle! Smash and destroy all these military supplies!" The eagle-headed demon cultivator Chen Lingfeng shouted, then shot out a wind blade.

But the next moment, the wind blade was destroyed by the "Stone Elder."

Stone Elder growled, "Don't ruin my好事, you fight yours."

Saying this, he instantly stole the compartment he had just protected from the wind blade attack.

Chen Lingfeng was left bewildered in the wind.

"Stone Elder is here for the military supplies?"

"Stop him, quickly stop him!"

The three Two Notes Kingdom Nascent Soul cultivators became frantic.

Only they knew the immense value of what was being transported inside!

Sun and Ning, however,操控 the stone ball to earth travel again, diving deep underground.

The three Two Notes Kingdom Nascent Souls couldn't intercept it, so they turned back to engage the Thousand Peaks Forest forces again.

After succeeding, Sun and Ning waited patiently.

When both sides were fiercely fighting again, the "Stone Elder" popped up once more, sweeping clean the supplies from another mechanical compartment.

"Are these all mechanical platforms?"

"Wait, this... this is the Nine Craftsmen Terrace of Xuanyuan?"

Ning Zhuo was dumbfounded!

Any single Nine Craftsmen Terrace of Xuanyuan was a mechanical platform at the Nascent Soul level.

(End of )